Latin America

God is breathing new life into Latin America. Innovative Bible teaching and discipleship are equipping local Christian leaders so that they can begin to revive and grow the Church.

For many people in Latin America, religion is a cultural tradition, passed down from colonial ties. Roman Catholicism has long been the most commonly identified faith, however many people have little knowledge of the Bible or the gospel message. As countries across the region become increasingly secular, some are embracing a strict separation between Church and state which diminishes the influence of the Church.

Across Latin America, the fledgling evangelical Church is at threat from syncretism (blending) with indigenous beliefs and liberal theology. There is a great need for Christian leaders to gain solid theological education that will equip them to be confident in their faith and disciple others. Over the past two decades, God has been opening doors for CMS to work with local partners in providing theological training in Chile, predominantly through the Centre for Pastoral Studies. The introduction of the flexible MOCLAM distance education program has also enabled biblical training to spread into Mexico and Bolivia. God is now paving the way for MOCLAM to increase its reach throughout Latin America and to further develop the evangelical Church in this region.

University ministry is another key avenue through which CMS missionaries are working to create lasting change in the lives of students and, in turn, in the life of the Church. As students seek direction and meaning in their lives, there are opportunities to teach them about God’s word. Similarly, in church ministry, our workers are encouraging believers through discipleship and training to commit themselves to God and to the Church in Latin America.